In Midst Of Measles Outbreak, Parents In NYC Face Reality Of Not Vaccinating Kids To Potential Tune Of $1,000
Public health legal experts said it’s been at least a century since health authorities issued fines in connection with violations such as not vaccinating a child. But as the measles outbreak continues to run rampant, New York City is making it clear that it's taking a strict stand on the emergency vaccination order that was issued. Meanwhile, Washington state legislation tightening exemptions moves forward.
The Washington Post:
Parents Of 3 NYC Children Face $1,000 Penalty For Violating Measles Order
New York City health officials issued summonses to parents of three children Thursday for failing to have their children vaccinated against measles, a violation of the city’s emergency order mandating immunizations to control a surging outbreak. The adults face civil penalties of $1,000 if an officer upholds the summons at a hearing. Health officials identified three children who were exposed to the severe respiratory virus but were not yet vaccinated by April 12, in violation of the order. (Sun, 4/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
New York City Issues Summonses To Parents Of Three Unvaccinated Children
The city last week issued a vaccine mandate that applies to certain ZIP Codes in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, where the outbreak began last fall in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Since that order was issued on April 9, disease detectives for the city have been tracking people who have come in contact with people known to have measles. In that investigation, the city identified three children who were exposed to measles, but remained unvaccinated as of April 12. The city didn’t say if the three children developed measles. The parents for those three children were issued the summons, which carries a $1,000 fine. (West, 4/18)
The Washington Post:
Measles Outbreak: Washington State Senate Passes Bill To Eliminate Exemption For MMR Vaccine
The Washington state Senate narrowly passed a measure late Wednesday that would make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children against measles in response to the state’s worst outbreak in more than two decades. The bill, which would eliminate personal or philosophical exemptions from the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, is a victory for public health advocates who had not expected it to make it to the floor. The measure passed 25 to 22 in the Democratic-controlled chamber, after being brought to the floor just minutes before the legislative deadline. No Republicans voted in favor, and two Democrats voted against. (Sun and Bernstein, 4/18)
Reuters:
Judge Rejects Challenge Of New York City's Mandatory Measles Vaccination Order
A Brooklyn judge on Thursday denied a petition seeking to lift New York City's recently-imposed mandatory measles vaccination order, dismissing a court challenge brought by an anonymous group of parents who argued the order was unconstitutional. The judge sided with municipal health authorities who issued the order last week, calling it a rare but necessary step to contain the worst measles outbreak to hit the city since 1991. (4/18)
WBUR:
Judge Upholds Mandatory Measles Vaccinations As New York Closes More Schools
Judge Lawrence Knipel on Thursday refused parents' request to lift the vaccination order that was imposed last week to stem a severe measles outbreak. "A fireman need not obtain the informed consent of the owner before extinguishing a house fire," Knipel wrote in his ruling as quoted by Gothamist. "Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion." On the same day, the city announced that it was closing four more schools and issuing three civil summons for parents who had failed to comply with the mandate. (Paris, 4/19)
CNN:
Measles: This Baby Caught It Because Of Anti-Vaxers
Fainy Sukenik believes in vaccines, and her four children are up to date on all their shots. That's why she's furious that her baby got measles. Too young to be vaccinated, 8-month-old Shira Goldschmidt developed complications from the virus and had to be hospitalized. Infectious disease experts say the cause is clear: anti-vaxers. (Cohen, 4/18)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
My Measles Shot Was Years Ago. Am I Still Protected?
In my teaching, I work with students to develop an understanding of the complexity of these issues and encourage them to engage in the public discourse on these topics from balanced and informed perspective. Given all the attention around measles, here’s what people who believe they have been vaccinated should know. (Amiel, 4/18)
Arizona Republic:
These 5 Arizona Kindergartens Are Most Vulnerable To A Measles Outbreak
More than half of the state's kindergartens have measles immunization rates below the level required to fend off an outbreak. This is the third year in a row that those rates have declined, because the share of Arizona parents exempting their children from school-required vaccines keeps increasing. (Price, 4/18)
